New York Weddings

This, my darling Brides-to-be, is how you throw a fabulously chic beach wedding. Rather than choose the “expected and boring” nautical theme, this chic couple decided to make their wedding about the venue’s natural beauty “using tans, light water colors, beach woods, and pearlescent accents throughout the wedding.” See all the pretty from Ever Swoon, Two Of A Kind Rentals and Shannen Natasha in THE VAULT!

From The Bride…When Josh and I got engaged during the summer of 2014, we didn’t know where to begin with planning. Since we grew up in too very different areas (Josh is from Louisiana and I’m from Connecticut), we thought New York City would be the perfect middle ground for our wedding.

But after lots of searching, it become clear to us that the city lacked something we really wanted on our big day–which was an atmospheric outdoor setting.

At the suggestion of my father, we visited Gurney’s Inn in late September on a beautiful end-of-summer day, and we were instantly hooked. The resort had gorgeous sweeping views of the Atlantic from its decks, making it the perfect setting for our wedding.

Once we locked in our date, we instantly knew what we didn’t want our theme to be. Despite being by the beach, we refused to have a nautical theme—it felt way too expected and boring! Instead, with the help of my brother, we decided to make our wedding theme more about the natural beauty of the beach, using tans, light water colors, beach woods, and pearlescent accents throughout the wedding.

Selecting Gurney’s was a bit of a gamble since the resort was due for renovations with no guarantee of them being completed by our wedding day. In the end, the changes to the resort totally exceeded our expectations, the new Gurney’s felt fresh, modern, and like a whole new resort.

The day of turned out to be a gorgeous early summer day, allowing us to take advantage of all of the resort’s outdoor areas. We took our pictures in the maze of decks across the property, we had our ceremony on the tented upper deck over looking the beach, cocktail hour outside, and a beach bonfire after the reception.

Photography: Shannen Natasha | Event Planning: ever swoon | Floral Design: Sag Harbor Florist | Hair + Makeup: Face Time Beauty Concierge | Band: Hank Lane Music | Groom's Attire: Alton Lane | Venue: Gurney's Montauk Resort And Spa | Rentals: Two of a Kind | Rentals: Party Rentals Ltd

It doesn’t get much better than a “modern coastal meets English garden” soiree, but add in a breathtaking bride and groom who know a thing or two about fashion (custom gown, anyone?) and it’s an entirely new level of awesome. Think crisp navy blue hues, a beautiful seaside ceremony and one fab moment after another captured by Betsi Ewing Photography.  Fall in love right here.

  

From the beautiful Bride… Mike and I couldn’t think of a better place to get married, than on the beach near my family home in Amagansett. There weren’t too many locations that provided both a picturesque ceremony setting along with an elegant reception area quite like Gurney’s Montauk Resort. The venue has an atmosphere of casual elegance that was perfect for our late afternoon nuptials. For our wedding, we really tried to do a mix of high end and DIY, splurging on crucial components like the band and venue, but doing a lot of the decor elements ourselves, which created a day that was both perfect and personal.

I didn’t start off with a specific wedding scheme in mind, but the whole affair took on an English garden meets modern coastal theme. Drawing my inspiration from the landscape of Montauk in early fall; I started off with a classic navy blue and white color palette and then layered accents of lavender, cream and spring green. For the groomsmen, we went for a crisp cotton navy suit, adding a touch of whimsy with floral chambray ties and pocket squares. For the bridesmaids, I decided on asymmetrical cream silk dresses, with a dainty floral pattern.

I knew I wanted to complement our beach surroundings when creating my own wedding gown. I designed a dress with a blush colored silk sweetheart bodice, fully covered in a modern pattern of Swarovski crystals, which caught the sunlight when I moved. The skirt was pleated silk mousseline with a detachable chapel train, that created a sense of drama when blowing in the wind on the beach. Mike likes good style as much as I do, so he went for a custom navy suit made by Martin Greenfield in Brooklyn and accessorized his look with a bowtie, suspenders and a pocket round from Alexander Olch.

The wedding day arrived bright and sunny but quickly turned overcast. Instead of putting a damper on things, the gray skies made the greenery and ocean more vivid and cast a stunning light for our pictures. We spent the early afternoon with our wedding party gallivanting around Montauk, taking pictures in areas that really highlighted the surrounding natural beauty. We started at the beach near our venue, then made our way to the lighthouse at the tip of Montauk, and then finished at this great dock in the national park. Betsi Ewing, our photographer, and her associate were absolutely amazing, wrangling our boisterous friends, making everyone feel at ease, and capturing some of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever seen!

Our misty day quickly turned to full on rain just as the ceremony started. But as a true testament to our friends and family, they stayed on the beach creating a canopy of umbrellas, parasols and beach blankets, to the opening strains of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong singing “Dream a Little Dream of Me”. The rain lent a storybook quality to the early evening, as my dad officiated a ceremony full of stories of our lives, inspired readings, and personal vows. By the time we jumped the broom, the rain was really coming down and everyone quickly ran inside to our tented cocktail hour full of sushi and signature cocktails. I couldn’t be more appreciative of our wedding coordinator Ginny Davis and the Gurney’s staff as they not only kept our special evening running smoothly but stood outside in the pouring rain holding umbrellas over our guests so they could walk from the cocktail hour into the ballroom for our reception.

For the reception, I wanted everything to feel light and romantic, so I played with contrasting textures in neutral shades. Mike’s sister made all of the table numbers by painting on acrylic sheets, a hard modern element, which contrasted nicely with the menus she individually watercolored in a soft blue. Anastasia, at Sag Harbor florist used seasonal florals including astilbe, white clematis, white and pale pink garden roses and an abundance of greenery to create beautiful table arrangements in tall and short clear glass vases giving the illusion that the flowers were floating above the table. Finally, we added a metallic touch with silver mercury glass tea lights and rose gold sequined tablecloths on the sweetheart and card table.

With all the decorations in place, we danced the night away to Motown’s greatest hits, dined on a delicious asian inspired menu and finished it all off with champagne cake filled with fresh strawberries topped with our initials in sparklers. We couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate our marriage then to be surrounded by our closest friends and family. It’s a day we will never forget.

Photography: BETSI EWING STUDIO | Floral Design: Sag Harbor Florist | Invitations: Lucky Penny Paperie | Bride's Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Zimmermann | Band: Hank Lane Music | Grooms Attire: Martin Greenfield | Groomsmen's Attire: Bonobos | Wedding Venue: Gurney's Montauk Resort And Spa | Bride's Hair Piece : Twigs & Honey | Bridesmaids' Button Downs: Ralph Lauren | Groom's Accessories: Alexander Olch | Party Sunglasses: Knockaround | Photography - Assistance: Weddings By Averie

Gorgeous garden-inspired weddings are my weakness. Even more so given that this hospitable duo crafted their Big Day around relaxed romance and colorful blooms. From the Bride’s beautiful Lovely Bride gown, to the candle-filled tent graced with Jarrell Entertainment, Robert and Kathleen Photographers captured a gallery sure to make you smile. See it all over here!

From Robert and Kathleen Photographers… The bride and groom both work in the hospitality industry in Manhattan and wanted a relaxed, romantic wedding in their favorite destination: Montauk, NY. As special events manager at the Gramercy Park Hotel in NYC, Michelle has planned countless weddings and worked with some of the very best wedding industry professionals in New York. When it came time to plan her own wedding, she compiled a dream team of vendors to expertly craft the vision she and Steve had come up with for their day. From their romantic, colorful floral designs to the candle-filled tent and stunning tables, Michelle and Steve’s wedding was warm, welcoming and comfortable. We felt honored to have been there to share their day with them and to photograph all of the amazing moments that made up their day.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers | Floral Design: Celadon And Celery | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Shoes: Calvin Klein | Jewelry: BHLDN | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | DJ: Jarrell Entertainment | Groomsmen's Attire: Vera Wang | Venue: Sole East Resort | Bridal Boutique: Lovely Bridal Shop | Day-Of Coordination: Baton NYC

I am a little in love with this next duo. So much so that we wanted to share their so-cute-so-ME rehearsal dinner before we dove head first into their even more lovely wedding. And not just because the main event is an ice cold margarita and a really good looking fish taco. But because the photographs from Heather Waraksa are so stinking cute, we are only sad we couldn’t be there ourselves!

From the bride…We knew that we didn’t want a traditional rehearsal dinner, so we decided to do a more casual welcome party where everyone would be able to attend. Something that was particularly unusual was the mariachi band at the welcome party at La Brisa. They were fantastic and made it such a lively event! We also made sure that our guests were able to get to know Montauk, so on Saturday we arranged for paddle board lessons, tastings at a local brewery, and a screening of one of our favorite films at the local movie theater.

***

And now for the wedding. The picture perfect, cuddle up with the gorgeous blankets that the couple gifted, so personal and yet so ridiculously elegant wedding photographed to utter perfection by Heather Waraksa. Complete with a momofuku cake and a bouquet dressed with 100 year-old blue ribbon from the bride’s great-grandfather’s flower shop. I told you it was a keeper. And there is SO much more right here!

From the beautiful Bride… My gown was from Valentino Resort 2013 and I had seen it on Style.com. I’ve always known that I did not want a traditional wedding dress and that it didn’t particularly have to be white. I made several appointments at bridal salons, but on a whim I decided to go to Valentino with my mother before to see if they had the dress. When we arrived and showed them the picture of the white dress with green beads they said they didn’t have that one, but they did have a version in pink. However, when they went into the back they came out with a surprise. They had just gotten the green dress in, in one size too big for me! We were ecstatic! The salesperson said it was the only one made for stores in America and it had literally just arrived so they didn’t know they had it. I tried it on and instantly knew it was meant to be. I did however, then call my maid of honor and father to see it for final approval. It was truly a work of art and I felt so happy and like myself (but better) in it. I bought it just a few weeks after getting engaged. I then found a perfect pair of Valentino white, rock-stud wedges on eBay which were comfortable and matched perfectly. I love the dress so much, I just had it hemmed a bit so I can wear it again!

About the wedding: We wanted the wedding to be a whole weekend of fun. We actually started planning the wedding in Brooklyn where we live, but realized we would prefer to have our closest friends and family stay with us and for everyone to be together for as long as possible. After a bit of searching, we decided on Montauk because it was accessible from NYC, but felt like a destination. Ruschmeyer’s was perfect because we were able to get rooms on the property for all of our family and close friends.

As for the wedding itself, it was extra special because Todd’s father was able to officiate. We got married under a tent which ended up being very cozy and warm. Everyone was greeted with a glass of prosecco (or two) and with 135 guests, it felt very intimate.

The food was definitely very special. As a former event planner and an always foodie, I knew that we didn’t want typical wedding fare. Chef Roy Wohlars at Ruschmeyer’s really did an amazing job. Each of the four courses was absolutely delicious and the food was abundant. He prides himself on focusing on local ingredients and everything was exceptional without being fussy. We served dinner family-style so everyone could get a bite of everything. I am still getting e-mails about how much people enjoyed the experience of eating at our wedding!

What made it unique: Making the wedding personal was extremely important to us. We tried to incorporate as much of our personal style and values in to the wedding as possible. During the ceremony, besides the fact that my father-in-law married us, Todd and I each recited song lyrics that were meaningful to us as our vows.

We were also able to incorporate some 100 year-old blue ribbon from my great-grandfather’s flower shop into my bouquet. The added bonus was that our florist is only located a few blocks away from where his store was in Brooklyn. We also got married under a chuppah inspired by the flower garlands we saw on our travels around India and Thailand. Travel is a big part of our lives; I own a travel business and Todd used to be a pilot. We also moved to Paris for a bit, so I was also set on having a croquembouche (a traditional French wedding confection) at the wedding and was thinking of forgoing a cake. Luckily, Momofuku’s Milk Bar has both, so in addition to our wedding cake, we had a tower of birthday cake truffles, for a bit of Paris meets Brooklyn.

Going along with our love of travel, we were able to take our wedding portraits at the Montauk Airport–a place Todd used to fly into regularly when he was a pilot. It was really special to incorporate his love of aviation into our wedding. It’s a tiny air field, so luckily there were several planes parked there for the day, so we got some amazing shots.

We also knew it could get a little chilly in Montauk in the evening, so as a give away we ordered these fantastic, colorful Mexican blankets. I may have ordered a bit too many, but I have friends that I think took 4 or 5 home with them! I am constantly seeing them at friends’ homes and even in pictures on social media, so it’s nice to know everyone could take a little piece of the weekend home with them.

A memorable moment: I knew the whole day would fly by and consciously tried to stop a few times in the evening to take it all in. My greatest memory was just being on the dance floor, dancing up storm with my husband while looking around and thinking, “Wow, I really love all of these people!”

Their engagement story: Todd and I met in April of 2005 at a bar in St. Louis. We were both students at Washington University and this bar was a popular Tuesday night destination for the college set. I was taking a photography class and was a little behind on a project, so I brought my camera to take pictures. The assignment was “action shots” and when a cute senior guy came over to help me take pictures, I could not refuse. However, when I went to develop the pictures (yes, in a dark room), I realized they were all of some other guy who I didn’t know. The next week I saw that guy from the pictures at a party and his name was Todd. We started dating and Todd graduated 6 weeks later. He moved back to LA and I went home to New York for the summer. He came to visit me and we stayed together through my junior year abroad in London and then my senior year when I was back in St. Louis. Finally, as luck would have it, Todd moved to Brooklyn with the band he was in at the time and I moved to the East Village for graduate school. We moved in together in 2009 in Williamsburg, then went to Paris for a summer and came back to New York. After almost 9 years of being together, on October, 31st 2013 Todd proposed. He asked me to meet him at a subway stop in Brooklyn and he had prepared a whole picnic that we were to bring to Brooklyn Bridge Park. I was completely oblivious to the plan and was not expecting anything, after all it was Halloween. Unbeknownst to me, he had previously gone to the park and picked a spot, which was auspiciously the same spot another couple had chosen to have their wedding that day. So when he insisted we sit and picnic next to this wedding, again I didn’t think anything of it. I was pretty shocked when he asked if I would marry him and took out a gorgeous ring he had designed using my grandmother’s diamond from her engagement. We then went out for dinner and champagne.

Words of wisdom: Try not to worry too much about the details, rather pick great vendors and work with people you love. Grab coffee with them, chat with them, make sure they get you. Our planners, Mayra and Xochitl were so much fun to work with and it made everything easier knowing they knew us and understood what we wanted. Same goes for our photographer, Heather Waraksa who was incredibly easy to work with and we knew her style was what we were looking for, so anything she did would be great. Amy Febinger and her team really took our (sometimes crazy) ideas for floral arrangements and made them into a reality. Overall, it was about the right people and the details will fall into place.

Photography: Heather Waraksa | Cinematography: Kiss The Bride Films | Floral Design: Bourgeon | Wedding Dress: Valentino | Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar | Stationery: Mr. Boddington Studio | Bride's Shoes: Valentino | Engagement Ring: Custom By Bittersweets | Makeup: Luis Rodriguez | Hair: Mia Santiago | Entertainment: Hank Lane Music | Groom's Attire: J.Crew | Wedding Venue: Upper Elm | Anniversary Wine Box: Etsy | Day Of Coordination: Just About Married | Decor Rentals: Patina | Earrings: Sara Weinstock | Groom's Ring: Cat Bird | Groom's Shoes: Paul Smith | Guest Welcome Bags: 4 Imprint | Photo Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Planning And Event Design: AaB Creates | Rehearsal Dinner Venue: La Brisa | Wedding Ring: Kwait

Relaxed yet incredibly elegant, this Montauk beauty is filling our screens with an incredible amount of pretty this morning. Captured by lovely Charlotte Jenks Lewis in a way that will make your heart sing, this gallery paints the prettiest picture of a day overflowing with love. See it all here.

From The Bride…Shortly after getting engaged we quickly decided that the only place we could get married was New York. Andrew is from a large Irish family that mainly resides in New York, New Jersey and Long Island. We are talking 55 first cousin big family! But Rachel being originally from Tiburon, CA wanted her dream wedding to have a California feel and a location that was on the water. They soon decided that Montauk had the relaxed California vibe combined with a great location easily accessible for all guests. And with Andrew’s love of surfing, ditch plains was just a perfect piece to the puzzle. After selecting Montauk Yacht Club as the ideal venue for our large wedding the nautical theme kind of found us. We wanted everything to have a very personalized feel – which carried over into writing our own ceremony from start to finish. Rachel even found the perfect illustrator in an Edible Brooklyn magazine that created our customized invitation.

We also wanted to try to keep things light and breezy the whole wedding weekend. The day of our wedding we started off with a morning yoga session followed by a guided hike later in the afternoon. The ceremony was walking distance from the cocktail reception and the dinner and dancing and everything was tented so that we could enjoy the views of the water all night long. Andrew left strongly about having a live band – we really wanted everyone to dance the night away. So Those Guys, having played Andrew’s brothers wedding as well, were a perfect fit. They have so much energy that it is contagious.

Photography: Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography | Florist: Flowers By Beth | Cake: Sag Harbor Baking Co. | Bride's Shoes: Freed Of London | Jewelry: Atelier Gigi | Caterer: Montauk Yacht Club | Band: Those Guys | Groom's Suit: J.Crew | Bride's Dress: Joan Gilbert Bride | Groom's Tie: Bird Dog Bay | Invitations- Illustrator: Lucy Engelman | Invitations- Printer: Woodside Press | Yacht Club: Montauk Yacht Club

Sequin table linens = best invention ever. And that little splash of glam is so unexpected in this Montauk affair but blends beautifully with the seaside surroundings. Lobsters and summer sequins, weathered docks and a line-up of blush peonies from Flowers By Beth.  Now that is a shindig we can get behind. Pore over the gallery of images captured by Brklyn View Photography right here.

From Brklyn View Photography…Their wedding is filled with wonderful fun details from the brides heart covered shoes, to gold glittered table cloths to the lobster themed corn holes.

Summer weddings out in Montauk are my absolutely favorite! The warm air, blue skies and all the flowers seem to be in bloom. For Annie and Sam, The Montauk Yacht Club was the perfect venue for their blush and gold inspired wedding in the Hamptons. Annie wore a breathtaking layered wedding dress from Lazzaro. Lots of layers of tulle with a lace bodice and removable lace straps fit her perfectly. The bride wore a small scissor pendant bracelet on her wedding day in loving memory of her grandmother who was a seamstress. Annie loves everything pink so it was only fitting to have pink accents throughout their entire wedding day. From her heart printed heels, pink invitations, floral printed bridesmaids dresses, and down to their pink signature cocktail, the happy couple left no detail to chance. Sam wore a tuxedo with a black and white polka dotted bow tie. The couple were married at St. Therese church in the heart of Montauk before heading over to the Montauk Yacht Club. Annie hand painted the lobster inspired corn hole games and lobster photobooth props. Their reception room was filled with a warm white glow to give a white wash effect inside the Farm Ballroom. Pink, coral and white centerpieces with mirrored vases decorated the two long tables. The couple loves the beach so it’s no surprise it was a big inspiration for their wedding day. Pieces of Beachwood were used as their table numbers and coral decorated their seating chart. I’m so honored I was part of Annie and Sam’s wonderful wedding day. There’s not doubt about it – He’s her lobster! Congratulations to the happy couple!!

Photography: Jainé Kershner Photography | Videography: Bellucci Films | Florist: Flowers By Beth | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Invitations: Eyes Wide Open | Ceremony Venue: St. Therese of Lisieux, Montauk NY | Reception Venue: Montauk Yacht Club | Brides Shoes: Sophia Webster | Bridesmaids Dresses: Bridal Garden | DJ: TBD Entertainment | Hair Salon: The Endz Salon Montauk | Rentals: Ultrapom

Every day is a pretty-fest on this corner of the blogosphere, but when our friends at Christian Oth Studio stop by for an all day recap of their loveliest weddings of the season? Well, that’s something worth celebrating. With not two, not three, but four weddings on the agenda, we’re in for a serious treat and it all starts with this Montauk stunner brought to life by Sofia Crokos Events and Sag Harbor Florist. First up, the rehearsal dinner and keep scrolling for the gorgeous big day.

[dotted]

Without further adieu, Katie and John’s gorgeous wedding…

Makeup by Dani Levi Beauty

From Christian Oth Studios… Katie and John were married September 28th at Crow’s Nest in Montauk, NY. The rehearsal dinner and after party were at Surf Lodge which is also where the groom and groomsmen got ready. Katie’s dress was from Stone Fox Bride and the silk slip dress that she changed into at the end of the night is actually her senior prom dress.

Photography: Christian Oth Studio | Videography: Hart Pictures | Cake: One Girl Cookies | Makeup: Dani Levi Beauty | Hair: Regina Carter | Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting | Wedding Venue: The Crow's Nest | Event Planner & Designer: Sofia Crokos Events,LLC | Paper Design: Bliss & Bone | Rehearsal Catering: La Brisa | Rehearsal Floral Design: Sag Harbor Florist | Rehearsal Venue: Surf Lodge | Rentals: Party Rentals Ltd | Wedding Catering: Nick And Tonis | Wedding Floral Design: Raquel Corvino | Wedding Tent: The New York Tent Company

When it comes to outdoor soirees, nothing embodies summer weddings more to me than a tented seaside gathering. It’s what you can expect to see dotted across the coastline all season long. Weddings like this breezy Montauk affair from Cappy Hotchkiss, where the stars and stripes are flying high, the sun is shining and the smiles are abundant. Top it off with tunes from Around Town Entertainment and we’ve got ourselves a perfect summer day. Head on over to the gallery for more!

From Cappy Hotchkiss Photography…Sole East wedding in Montauk NY. A truly mellow couple with a truly mellow vibe. Her bridesmaid designed all the gorgeous paper stuff, invites, etc. and also designed the cool Montauk Tote bags that were given to all the guests as welcome gifts. The groom, Jay, works as some sort of big wig finance guy and actually took his groomsmen to Antarctica for the bachelor party!!!! Who the heck needs Vegas? But deep down in his core, a surf guy lives. Sole East is the perfect spot for a mellow surf style wedding. Super casual, bonfire, food cooked on the grill. No pretense. These guys were so mellow that upon arriving at the Montauk Lighthouse, where they had decided to take their wedding party photos before the ceremony, and discovering that there was about a 35 mph wind whipping, they just went with it. And the wedding party was game as well. No one complained, hair flying, clothes flying. They just had fun. The ceremony was in a church in Montauk and the getaway car was their Land Rover. Lots of family, lots of love. Kids in J.crew. Pie in lieu of cake. Crazy band, crazy dancing. The place cards were gorgeous silver pocket compasses engraved with the couple’s names.

Photography: Cappy Hotchkiss | Floral Design: Sarah Tallman Design | Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham | Invitations: Erica Miller At Thoughtful Day | Church: St. Therese of Lisieux, Montauk NY | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Sole East Resort | Hair: Pamelas New Beginnings | Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting | Band: Around Town Entertainment | Groomsmen Attire: Ralph Lauren | Venue: Tent | Day Of Planning: David Ellis Events | Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew | Pies: Fairview Farms | Welcome Totes For Guests: Erica Miller At Thoughtful Day

A classic wedding with just a touch of nautical pretty… this, loves, is how you really kick off a Wednesday morning.  It’s lush, pink blooms from Hamptons Weddings & Events meets yummy snacks from Dreesen’s Doughnuts meets one magical image after another captured by Alison Conklin Photography, and it’s all set against the stunning Gurney’s Resort & Spa.  How awesome is that?  Click here for more.

From the Bride… I still fight back tears and thoughts of my wedding day, even through my honeymoon. I know it’s close enough that it’s still a conversation piece, but the longing felt by friends and family for even the chance to hear the ocean roar one more time is a conversation I hear every day.

I am thankful to have pictures of me in my mom’s stomach when she and my father were building our house on the land in Hither Hills Montauk that they bought in 1985, at a humble 30 years old. I am even more thankful to look at Alison Conklin’s photos of my husband and I now, me a glowing bride, gushing over how beautiful a celebration July 20, 2013 truly was — and at how handsome of a husband I have! Growing up I spent summer after summer in Montauk taking art and sailing lessons, training to be a junior lifeguard at Indian Hills Beach, and taking second to last place in the Hampton Classic. An only girl between my three brothers, I honestly never dreamt of my wedding gown or flowers because this type of talk wasn’t present in my parents’ home. I did, however, dream of a celebration of love over a weekend in Montauk because I knew it was a special place as so many young adults are finding it to be in more recent years — to my family’s dismay. You see we are not locals out there, but we’d like to think we are –locals would call us “seasonals” — despite my brother’s opinion. Montauk used to be a place people would ask me to repeat “did you say ‘Monnn-talk’?” because they never fathomed fighting the traffic to discover such place otherwise known as ‘The End.” Montauk is the ultimate destination, and our wedding was a celebration Carl Fisher would have tipped his hat too on 7/20, overlooking the ocean on the decks of Gurney’s Inn.

Our celebration weekend started with a cocktail infused BBQ at my parents’ home on Holly Street. That Friday the 19th, our rehearsal night, we toasted the night away with a cool breeze off the boats docked at the Montauk Yacht Club. My parents’ home sits only a half a mile away from Ralph Lauren’s palatial estate which happens to kiss the edge of Gurney’s Inn on it’s port side. I frequented Gurney’s Inn growing up because it is a place that welcomes you in. I can’t say that it’s welcoming existence will last forever considering the owners have just been bought out by a NJ developer rumored to have visions of cabanas and bottle service similar to the happenings of Surf Lodge and Ruschmeyer’s. What made our day unlike any other is that through our DIY attempts, it represents the plunge towards posh that Gurney’s hesitantly is about to take.

The weddings at Gurney’s before ours were smothered in seashells and starfish, lighthouses and lobster pots because I think that is what most brides want from a seaside wedding. I explained to Ginny, John, and Phyllis in the Banquet Department at Gurney’s that if I happened to see one ounce of sand or model seagull on my escort table or cake, I may turn as red as a lobster. With the extreme patience of our vendors – Hampton’s Weddings and Events — Alejandra (florist), Party Rental Ltd’s Pat (chairs and cloth napkins), La Tavola (ivory sequin table linens), RSVP-to-Me’s Kelly Samm Adams (Invitations), Diva Gone Domestic (escort cards/table numbers) I spent the entire year second guessing my own decisions! Without their help, and the help of my family and Andrew, I probably never would have made one decision! I was inspired by vintage romance and honestly the Little Mermaid. I have reddish hair similar to Arial which is the look I was going for when I picked out my gown and accessories. The image cover on Well Wed – Hamptons — No. 7 Spring and Summer 2007 magazine was my first inspiration. I obviously used Pinterest and nautical inspiration from Style Me Pretty to DIY the wedding myself. I think what is so inspiring about our wedding is the unique, romantic, nautical details and the almost Gatsby naivety about us in pictures. My dad’s vintage 1955 Volkswagen Beetle was a hit and made for a special moment for him and I before the ceremony and obviously looked adorable in pictures! My one color inspiration was the Dusty Miller plant. I use it to describe green tones all the time and people always look at me like I’m nuts. I built the rest of my color palette (navy, blush, champagne) around Dusty Miller because I love it’s soft furry delicate influence! Another favorite of mine was the ivory sequin table linens all the way from La Tavola in Napa, CA (NYC location coming this fall I believe — a little too late for me). Once I tested them out with my mom in the reception hall of Gurney’s I initially thought, “Too sweet 16?” but once I saw them with the mercury glass and our color palette I felt an almost underwater coral feel when the light hit them at the right angle. I knew I had to have them!

I think what I was most proud of was the positive reaction of my vendors, family and friends when they saw how much detail and thought Andrew and I put into the wedding without the help of a planner, which my vendors might be used to in the Hamptons. A couple of the Sicilian guests (who we were beyond thankful were in attendance) shared these compliments with us, ” you have shown me that there is still hope and inspiration among our younger generations — your love is a reminder to all that life can not be taken for granted. I am forever inspired.” Andrew and I were married through our own vows which you don’t often see anymore because I think brides often lose sight of their relationship and the celebration of love that is expected to be everlasting. You can feel it through our photos, that Alison Conklin so candidly documented, that Andrew and I have an old-fashion love and appreciation for one another that was so intimately celebrated on 7/20. I can’t thank our families, friends, and vendors enough. Throughout the process we had the support of the most talented and down to earth vendors because we took the time to get to know them and find out what a perfect match they were for us! We can’t thank the Banquet and Spa Departments at Gurney’s as well as Alejandra at Hampton’s Weddings and Events enough for their confidence, support, and relentless smiling! We are most thankful to Alison and Geoff Conklin for their grounded and calm influence throughout the entire weekend. We can’t believe how great you both made us look! You are both truly gifted.

Photography: Alison Conklin Photography | Floral Design: Hamptons Weddings & Events | Cake: Gurneys Resort Spa | Invitations: RSVP To Me | Bride's Shoes: Via Spiga | Bridesmaids: Amsale | Hair & Makeup: Gurneys Resort Spa | Wedding Favors: Dreesen's Doughnuts | Men's Attire: Tates Menswear | Venue: Gurneys Resort Spa | Band & DJ: East End Entertainment | Bride's Clutch: Kate Spade | Bride's Dress: Watters | Cards & Table Numbers: Diva Gone Domestic | Groom's Bow Tie: Ralph Lauren | Menus: Crane & Co. | Napkins & Chairs: Party Rental LTD. | Table Linens: BBJ La Tavola

If you logged onto your computer today not feeling 100%… maybe a little tired, a little sad, a little uninspired, you’ve come to the right place. With the help of Betsi Ewing Studio and a fabulous couple, we are here to brighten your day so much, you’ll need to grab your sunnies. It’s casual, romantic, intimate, and happy, and it’s made the SMP offices, already happy places, even happier.

From the Bride … Going into our wedding we had three main goals in mind: (1) keep it intimate, (2) keep it laid-back, and (3) get everyone out on the dance floor. We thought that finding a venue that would meet all of our goals would be difficult, but Montauk Yacht Club screamed “casual elegance,” and could not have been more perfect. Its location on the marina also mirrored our love for the water. We have done our fair share of traveling and have always been drawn to the water, including when Pete proposed with one knee in the water in Mexico. The beautiful Farmhouse Ballroom complete with a stunning fireplace, candelabra, and Beth’s brilliant yellow flower arrangements far exceeded our expectations.

By and large, the most compliments we have received over the past three months have surrounded our ceremony. The ceremony was kicked off by my cousin who sang Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow as I walked down the aisle. It was very important to us to have a very personal ceremony that elicited plenty of laughs. This could not have been possible without our officiant, Joanna. A friend of mine for over a decade, she put together a ceremony that was meaningful, touching, and very funny. She not only focussed on our story (15 years in the making), she emphasized the importance of our family and friends presence, our love of Montauk, and our dedication to each other. Our ceremony was so very special. Our best friend read a poem on friendship, four married couples provided words of wisdom (“Happy wife, happy life” being one of them), and Joanna asked all attendees to pronounce us husband and wife. It was so heartwarming to look out at all of our guests, and hear a booming, “We now pronounce you husband and wife.” It was truly amazing.

My something new, old, and borrowed all held great meaning. My something new was a beautiful pair of earrings received from coworkers turned family. My something old was a handkerchief embroidered with my name and wrapped around my bouquet. I received this handkerchief from my Aunt Tina who had been holding onto it for the past 30 years. It belonged to my namesake, and Tina and my father’s favorite Aunt Sally. Lastly, I wore the same barrette that my best friend, Ali wore in her hair on her wedding day two months earlier.

After the phenomenal speeches by our maid of honor, best man (one of our three), and mutual best friend, Lost in Paris started to jam out. At one point, a friend looked around and said to the groom, “You know it’s a good party when no one is sitting in their seats,” and sure enough, there was not one person sitting. The band kept the party going all night, and as our guest devoured the delicious cupcakes, we stood back, took it all in, and smiled when realizing that our night was absolutely perfect! We keep saying that we want to do it all over again. Perhaps for our 5 or 10 year anniversary? Our advice to any couple planning a wedding is to HAVE FUN throughout the process and make sure to laugh…or, you will surely cry!

Photography: BETSI EWING STUDIO | Floral Design: Flowers By Beth | Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller | Invitations: Matthew Kelsey | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew | Hair + Makeup: Ali, Long Island Makeup and Hair | Band: Lost In Paris | Groom's Suit: Hugo Boss | Officiant: Joanna Fernandes | Ceremony Music: Hillary Powell | Wedding Venue: Montauk Yacht Club | Cake + Cupcakes: Sag Harbor Bakery | Flower Girl's Dresses: J.Crew | Groom's Shoes: Bruno Magli | Paper Goods: JackandElla | Paper Goods: ThePinkLantern | Ring Bearer Attire: J.Crew | Signage: Alexander & Company

Before I even get into how much I love every moment of this stylish wedding at Sole East Resort by Skilled Concept – can I just say that this Bride’s Jenny Packham is totally my dream dress. I could write paragraphs on how pretty it is, and she wore it perfectly. The entire day was equally as perfect, actually. From the gorgeous florals by Karen Lenahan Designs to the sweet kisses stolen by the handsome Groom, and every thing in between – it goes without saying this gallery is a must see this Monday. See it all here.

From the Bride… Gui and I met in New York City in 2006. In 2007 we went on their first holiday to the Hamptons. We arrived in Montauk and instantly fell in love with Sole East. Two and a half acres of incredible back yard, revamped 1970’s architecture and simple white in every room. You instantly feel relaxed and at home. When we got engaged, we instantly knew that is were we wanted to marry. Gui is from Brazil, I am from Colorado and we were living in London through the engagement. New York is where we fell in love. There was no second choice for the wedding.

A laid-back, family affair. A bit rustic, a touch of elegance, plus a first (and last) attempt at DIY! The space is beautiful all on it’s own. We didn’t want to ruin that. Small touches with a pastel palette. Hand-picked and close to the heart.

With only 58 rooms and the weekend after Labor Day, we took over the hotel for a long-weekend of relaxation and fun. We got married under a beautiful tree dressed with embroidery hoops filled with lace. Our best friend married us and we accidentally kissed as soon as I arrived at the alter.

All of our vendors had the same demeanor as us. No stress and absolutely incredible at their jobs. When you hire people to trust, there isn’t anything to worry about. Letting them guide helped me stay sane on a separate continent, planning all by myself.

My dress is my favorite thing in the world. The combination of simplicity and intricacy is second to nothing. And trust me, I looked EVERYWHERE. Jenny Packham is a British designer and that felt very special to me. Living in London while planning my wedding gives me such a connection to that city. My shoes are Charlotte Olympia, British as well. My Bridesmaids all wore the same skirt and a monogram necklace gifted to them the night before. They picked their own top and kick-ass shoes! Gui’s suit was custom-made in London and the boys wore matching suits, pink and white gingham ties and boat shoes of their choice. the ring bearers and ushers wore plaid shorts and pastel pink bow-ties.

Gui is a creative director so his vision and our crest is where everything else flowed from. Invitations, website, menus… all collateral was created by him. I took inspiration from some of our favorite restaurants and my new found obsession with Style Me Pretty for the rest. I sourced 8 vintage fabrics to make the napkins and collected beautiful copies of The Great Gatsby for each table. Along with the flowers, I found pinwheels + the wine holder table numbers on BHLDN. We were gifted the Olivetti typewriter from a friend at work who bought it when she was a teenager to “write love poems on”. This became our guest book.

For the place cards, we collected the corks and documented each bottle of wine or champagne we had from our engagement year. Those, along with gifts from some of our favorite restaurants. I took two corks, tied them with ribbon and secured them together with twine. We printed out the list of memories (almost all with guests at our wedding) to sit at the table as people picked up their cards.

Our traditional cake, created by Momofuku Milk Bar (and driven with care from Brooklyn to Montauk in our backseat) was one of the best decisions we made. I think it is stunning to look at and the flavors were just incredible. That was for Gui. I am more savory. I had seen in London instances where people used wheels of cheese as a cake. To me that is heaven. I called our favorite cheese shop in Brooklyn and they graciously accommodated our request for a 4 layer cake of delicious cheese.

The food was all sourced from The Backyard restaurant at Sole East. All fresh and locally produced. Passed hors d’oeuvres, family-style dinner and late-night food. We heard, and continue to hear over and over- BEST WEDDING FOOD EVER. We agree. We served special micro-brewed Colorado beer and Gui’s favorite brand from Brazil. We also had a s’mores bar at the fire pit later that night. My mom’s family are Hershey’s so this gave a special place to highlight her heritage.

Because you can never have enough photographs, we enlisted a photobooth to capture even more.

The best part? When the tent closed, the DJ moved inside to the bar on the property and we danced until my 6″ heels couldn’t take any more.

Photography: Skilled Concept | Floral Design: Karen Lenahan Designs | Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham | Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar | Bride's Shoes: Charlotte Olympia | Bracelet: Jenny Packham | Catering: Sole East Resort | Makeup: Rachel Wade of Chic to Cheek | Hair: Under Her Veil | DJ: Play Something Good | Groomsmen Attire: Zara | Wedding Venue: Sole East Resort | Bride's Hair Piece: jennifer behr | Bridesmaids' Skirts: BHLDN | Cake Stands: BHLDN | Cheese Cake: Bedford Cheese Shop | Cufflinks: Lanvin | Groom's Ring: David Yurman | Groom's Shoes: Commes De Garcon | Napkins: Dot & Army | Photobooth: Magnolia Photo Booth Co. | Pinwheels: BHLDN | Table Numbers: BHLDN

Weddings like this one make my heart skip a beat.  Maybe it’s the preppy chic meets classically gorgeous meets dash of contemporary awesomeness of it all… or maybe it’s because it’s just so darn pretty.  Either way, I’ve been hooked ever since the very moment I spotted these beautiful images from Brklyn View Photography, and I haven’t looked back since.  It’s a day that is boasting more than its fair share of amazing and you can see it all right here in the full gallery.

From the Bride… Even though Michael and I were living in San Francisco, we dreamed of getting married in the town we met: Montauk, New York, a fishing village turned hip surfer town on the very end of Long Island. It was important for us to hold a small wedding at a singular venue, so we could maximize the quality time with our friends and family. The Montauk Yacht Club fit our vision perfectly; minimalist with a soft touch of nautical and tons of natural light.

We used a palette of soft pastels and hoards of candlelight to create a flattering, inviting atmosphere. Small personal touches made it feel like us.  Escort cards alerted guests that they had reservations at our favorite Montauk restaurants. Rubber initial stamps were used on everything from cocktail napkins to gift bags. And for dessert we treated ourselves to our favorite local pies. After being in countless weddings, we were determined to have our wedding parties comfortable in clothing that fit their personal style and budget. I thought the bridesmaids looked like a bucket of sherbet!

My absolute favorite part of the wedding was the ceremony. We poured over the wording with our officient, adding personal touches like the tying of the knot ceremony, the blessing of the hands and a beautiful reading. Using the Yacht Clubs dramatic fireplace as our backdrop, we covered the mantle with different height candles, lanterns, and romantic gatherings of babys breath. It took my breath away when I entered. The biggest compliment was when our guests told us how touched they were by the ceremony and how it truly felt like us. Even some of the guys cried![dotted]
Photography: Brklyn View Photography | Second Photographer: Michelle Lange | Venue: Montauk Yacht Club | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhullier | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade New York | Floral: Sag Harbor Florist | Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss Black Label | Hair + Makeup Artist: Laramie Glen | DJ: Play Something Good

At the heart of every wedding is a love story. A weak at the knees, let’s grow old together kind of story that sets my heart aflutter time and time again. But what makes this one a wee bit sweeter is that this adorable duo grew up together — even attending the same pre-school. But as fate would have it, it wasn’t until just five years ago that they truly fell in love. The celebration? A classic Long Island affair with pops of pink blooms by Bayport Flower House. The whole day was captured by Robert & Kathleen Photographers, and there’s an entire gallery and film waiting for you below.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/67900665?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=66ffcc 600 338]

From Robert & Kathleen Photographers…Kathleen and Dan had known each other for years. Growing up in the same town, they seemed to orbit around one another – attending the same preschool, elementary school, high school. They knew each other’s names, would recognize each other in town. But in all those years they had never really gotten to know one another. Until a dinner on the Upper East Side five years ago changed all that for good. That night, they shared sushi and traded stories and, in the process, found that they had much more in common that just living within the same zip code as kids. They talked for hours and by the time the night was over, Kathleen knew she wanted to see Dan again. Because in those few hours with him, she knew deep down that something incredible was beginning.

After that night, Dan couldn’t seem to stop thinking about Kathleen’s laugh. That infectious, Julia-Roberts-style laugh that made him smile at the mere thought of it. He needed to see her again. He needed to hear that laugh again. Because seeing Kathleen’s smile, hearing that laugh, made Dan feel something he never had felt before. Over the next four years they shared many more dinners. They discovered new New York neighborhoods, traveled to beautiful places, and dreamt of the life they would share together. After all those years of passing by one another, they knew that this time the timing was exactly right. They had “found” each other and they weren’t going to take that for granted.

Last year there was another dinner. Another night on the East Side, sharing sushi and trading stories. After dinner Dan got a phone call. He was needed at work, right away. He had to go fix something at a job site. With no time to spare, he told Kathleen she would have to come with him and that it shouldn’t take long. She agreed, thinking it must be a serious emergency since Dan would never usually takes her to a job site. They were ushered into Grand Central, met by security and granted access to the 59th floor.

But there is no 59th floor in the MetLife building. There was no work emergency for Dan to rush to either. When the elevators door opened, Dan escorted Kathleen out onto the roof of the building. He took her hand and walked her around, showing her the view of Manhattan from nearly 60 stories up. There, with the city traffic rushing by below them and the Empire State Building standing tall behind them, Dan got down on one knee and asked Kathleen to be his wife. Fourteen months later, they gathered together all of their family and friends, all the people who had shared this journey with the two of them, in one of their favorite places in the world. They promised to love each other forever and hosted the celebration of their lives, with bonfires by the water and dancing well into the night. There, at the end of Long Island, Kathleen and Dan’s married life began.

[dotted]

Photography + Cinematography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers | Venue: Montauk Yacht Club | Floral Design: Bayport Flower House | Wedding Cake: Manhattan Sweets Boutique Bakery in Islip, New York | Band: Peat Moss and the Fertilizers | Wedding Dress: Marisa via Bridal Salon: Bridal Reflections | Shoes: Christian Louboutin | Bridesmaid Dresses: Donna Morgan 

I’m just going to go ahead and thank Unique Visions Studio for this one. That’s all I really can do. It’s so beautiful that all I can do is send them a big hug, kiss, and thank you. You are going to love this video more than slow Saturday mornings. And don’t worry, I already thanked Unique Visions Studio for us all.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/62082808 600 255]

From the blushing bride … We met as two undergrad Business students enrolled in Theater 101 in pursuit of an easy language arts credit at Emory University. Though Matt never said a word to me for the first two months of the class despite working on group projects together, while out celebrating Halloween one night, he approached with the famous first words, “Can I get your digits?” Little did we know that some eight years later this would lead to a marriage.

The college romance eventually turned into a relationship that transported to New York City, where we both worked post college. Over the years, we grew to love many things together, namely bike racing and bulldogs. Once we brought Winnie, an adorable and spunky English Bulldog, into our lives in August of 2011 we knew that she had to play a big role in our upcoming wedding!

During two years of wedding planning, we had envisioned a casual beach wedding in the style of a destination wedding, with a weekend full of events for our guests. We began our special weekend getting married in the sand in perfect sunny weather at the Montauk Yacht Club with our close friends and family and bulldog by our side. Before the ceremony we had a great ‘first look’ session with Jason and Karen alongside our cinematographer from Unique Visions Studio who filmed the perfect casual scene along the docks of the Sound. The ceremony was intimate and casual, with vows we wrote and our bulldog Winnie acting as flower girl, escorted in her own adorned wagon and tutu.

Our friends and family came ready to party, in the first dance set before any food or toasts had begun, our guests were already dancing on the floor, doing the limbo, and trying to put Matt’s head through the ceiling during the Hora. And yet, amazingly Jason and Karen were able to catch the chaotic moment with pure joy on everyone?s faces. The rest of the night was a haze of amazing memories, which luckily we can look back on fondly for years to come.

The fun continued Saturday with a daytime beach party at Navy Beach, also in Montauk. We met with Jason and Karen beforehand to do some more casual shots along the water in a less rushed timeframe than the prior day. Bloody Mary’s and watermelon margaraitas were the drink of choice and everyone partook in a DIY cornhole we made with our faces on top while rehashing the previous evenings festivities and enjoying the perfect weather, a nice break from the tornadoes occurring in Brooklyn. The perfect wedding weekend, with the perfect friends and family sharing in our joy. We are excited to have the memories to enjoy for a lifetime!

[dotted]

Photography: Jason Groupp Photography | Cinematography: Unique Visions Studio | Flowers: Pennington Flowers, Jeff Pennington | Ceremony Location: Montauk Yacht Club | Friday Reception Location: Montauk Yacht Club | Saturday Reception Location: Navy Beach | Birdcage Veil: Brides Head Revisited, NYC | Dress: Watters, Cabo | Hair & Makeup: Hannah Ho | Groom’s Suit: Custom Tailored by Zohre | Groom’s Shoes: Hush Puppies | Cuff Links: Michael C Fina | Invitations: Designed by Matt Richardson | Officiant: Paul Weiss | Music: Rob Kelley of 74events, DJ gaza | Band (Saturday): Josh Cho Hawaiian Band | Cookie Bar (Friday): Water Mill Cupcake Company | Cake (Saturday): Gurney’s Bakery | Customized Candies: Pappabubble, NYC | Cornhole with our silhouettes: made by Bride and Mothers | Winnie’s Tutu: Etsy

One peek at the photos you’re about to see from Stylish & Hip Weddings, and you’re going to think the wedding was a gorgeous tropical destination wedding. Somewhere on a beach with margaritas just out of site. But the absolutely stunning bash was at Navy Beach. And it is just that. Stunning. So stunning, in fact, I’ll be spending my day in the full gallery daydreaming of a life so beautiful.

From Stylish & Hip Weddings… Anya & Trevor had the most picturesque romantic wedding right on the beach in late September at Navy Beach! Anya is a fashion buyer at Barney’s and Trevor is an A&R guy at Sony. So this couple has impeccable style & taste.

Their beachfront entertainment was a Reggae band from Flatbush Brooklyn and their guest favors were the world famous crack pie from Momofuku milk bar. Their wedding cake was also custom made from Momofuku. At the end of the night we lit Sky Lanterns on the beach.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Stylish & Hip Weddings | Wedding Venue: Navy Beach in Montauk, New York | Floral Design: Flowers by Beth | Wedding Cake + Favors: Momofuku Milk Bar | Band Leader: Winston Irie | DJ: DJ Soul | Wedding Dress: Custom Mika Inatome + the Bride

Truth be told, this Montauk wedding has officially made my Monday morning. Marked with a sense of understated elegance and impeccable style, it’s the kind of modern Hamptons affair that makes my heart feel a little fuller thanks to flawless planning on the part of Loli Events. Trent Bailey sent over all the swoon-worthy snapshots, and you absolutely, positively can’t miss the wedding film that’s like icing on the perfect cake.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/55471047?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=fad810 600 338]

From Trent Bailey Photography…We absolutely loved this gorgeous Montauk wedding….every aspect of the day was just GORGEOUS, from Stephanie’s custom made dress, to the ceremony location, and the idyllic reception spot.  We also filmed the day on super 8, a service we are excited to begin offering to our couples.

From Lauren Sozmen, Loli Events…Besides having family on Long Island and the beautiful summer weather of the Hamptons, the big draw for Stephanie and Zachary was the opportunity to use an incredibly unique backdrop for their ceremony.  Stephanie works for Luxembourg & Dayan and Amalia Dayan offered her Montauk backyard for the ceremony.  This is not any backyard, but rather an oasis of unique art pieces over looking the ocean.  The most recognized of the art pieces, is “Untitled (Lamp/Bear)” the creation of Swiss artist Urs Fischer.  This piece used to live on Park avenue in Manhattan.  Guests were escorted down a long gravel path before arriving to the stunning view.  After the ceremony guests went to the Inn at Windmill Lane in Amagansett when they were greeted with a lavender champagne cocktail and a hand written note to each couple from the newlyweds.  The overall feel of the reception was understated luxury.  There were day beds, rattan furniture, Moroccan blankets & lanterns through out the perfectly manicured gardens.  The receptions had nods to lavender and figs through food, drinks, flowers and scented candles, to pay tribute to the brides family vacation home in Ibiza.  Guests enjoy lavish Mediterranean style stations and danced the evening away.  To finish off this perfect day, guests joined around the fire pits in large adirondack chairs to make s’mores.

From The Bride + Groom…We met in high school in New York a few months before Zach left for college on the East Coast and we stayed very good friends throughout college despite my having left for the West Coast a year later.  We even met in Istanbul when I was a senior visiting my father in Paris and Zach was in graduate school in London.  Six months later, I was preparing for my own move to London for graduate school and Zach was moving back to New York for law school, and our relationship really started to evolve — he knew all about London, but was also imparting all his wisdom for an upcoming family graduation trip to Israel and we started spending a lot more time talking on the phone.  However, nothing that summer went as planned.  My family had to cancel our vacation and we ended up in the Dominican Republic (bad idea – it’s the rainy season!), only to learn soon after our arrival that my grandfather had passed away (not to mention that in the midst of all of this my housing in London fell through).  It was then that I realized the only person I wanted to speak to about all of this was Zach – and we hadn’t even started dating.  Another six months passed, and after endless hours on skype, I flew to New York to visit Zach because I needed to figure out what was going on between us.  I booked my ticket on Wednesday, arrived in New York on Friday, and the first thing Zach did when he saw me was kiss me.  Despite my pleas that we could not date because we were never in the same place, we spent the next several years in a long long-distance while finishing our studies and embarking on our careers – we did London-New York, San Francisco-New York, a brief year of New York-New York, followed by New York-DC, where Zach went for a 2-year government fellowship.  Finally in the summer of 2011, Zach returned to New York, we moved-in together in September, and in February shortly after our 5-year anniversary, Zach proposed in our new home.  By then we were eager to get married as quickly as possible!

When the gallery founder and her husband offered their Montauk home to us as a potential wedding venue, I knew our search was over and it would be perfect.  The backyard is filled with incredible contemporary sculpture and the view of the Atlantic was stunning.  We wanted an intimate wedding that focused on bringing our friends and family from around the globe together and a day that reflected our mutual desire to do things in a slightly non-traditional manner.  We also wanted to incorporate our many talented family and friends into the preparations and festivities.  We were married by Rabbi Sarna, the NYU Hillel rabbi – a friend and now colleague of Zach’s, under the huppah we built with my step-father and from which hung our fathers’ prayer shawls.  Our friend played all of the music at the ceremony and my dress was made by my incredibly talented friend, the young designer Katie Ermilio, and my matching head piece was designed by my talented friend Satya Twena.  And as a sweet end to our day, my mother baked all of the brownies and pies on our dessert bar to accompany the wedding cake!

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Trent & Dara of Trent Bailey Photography | Super 8 Film: Trent Bailey Photography | Wedding Planning: Loli Events | Floral Design: Amagansett Flowers by Beth | Ceremony: Private Estate | Reception: The Inn at Windmill Lane | Film Processing:  Indie Film Lab | Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Lawn furniture: Taylor Creative | Tent: Sperry Tent | Flower Girl Balloons: Geronimo Balloons | Catering: Peter Ambrose Events Catering | Wedding Cake: Tates Bakery | DJ: 74 events | Makeup: Facetime Beauty | Hair: Rafael | Wedding Dress: Custom by Katie Ermilio | Parasol: little shop in Paris | Veil: Satya Twena | Shoes: Christian Louboutin

If I wasn’t craving carefree summer days before, I most certainly am now after spending some time with this Montauk beauty at Sole East. It’s everything a seaside summer fête should be, complete with a color palette so happy, so vibrant you can’t help but smile at all the pretty images snapped up by Cappy Hotchkiss. And when you stumble on all the shiny happy details sitting in this gallery, that smile is sure to stick. See it all here.

From the Bride… Chris and I probably should’ve met several times before we actually did- we both grew up on Long Island, we both played lacrosse in college at rival schools that are one mile apart (Hopkins and Loyola), we used to live 2 blocks away from each other in NYC, and we have tons of friends in common. However we chose a restaurant in the Meatpacking District on a January day in 2009 to finally meet. We left the restaurant without each other’s numbers or full names but relied on a mutual great friend to connect us over email. I invited Chris to a party my friend and I had been planning for Valentine’s Day and that was that.

Our wedding was truly a collection of our favorite things. Montauk was the obvious choice for the location as all year we look forward our weekends in the summer out there. Chris likes to say that I change into a calmer person as we drive over that last hill on 27 and feeling calm on your wedding day is a great feeling! Sole East was such a wonderful spot- the natural landscape of the grounds are already so beautiful it didn’t require much decorating. The hotel makes your wedding feel as if it’s a backyard wedding- everything is free flowing, easy, and up to you how you want it to flow. Luckily we had one of those gorgeous September days that just made everything perfect. Chris and I both love tons of pictures so we decided on that for the theme of our wedding. We spent hours going through pictures we’ve taken of our friends to find the perfect seating cards, I made a photo book of Chris and I that gathered all the great pictures people have taken of us since we’ve met, and I made a homemade photo booth/guestbook using two Fujimax oversized instant cameras- guests took instant pictures of each other and taped them into a hardcover book- leaving us a note in the process. The photo book guestbook turned out even better than I expected- everyone took part! We ended the night with sparklers and our favorite dessert- Coolhaus Ice Cream sandwiches- served out of a their truck (driven all the way from NYC) that we pulled right into Sole East’s backyard. It was truly the perfect Montauk Day.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Cappy Hotchkiss | Wedding Venue + Catering: Sole East in Montauk, New York | Floral Design: Flowers by Beth | Wedding Coordinator: Cindy from Sole East | Wedding Ice Cream Sandwiches: Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck | Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Hello! Lucky | Music: Ray Jarrell from Jarrell Entertainment | Wedding Dress: J.Crew | Bride’s Shoes: Miu Miu | Bride’s Earrings: Dannijo | Bride’s Bracelet: Tom Binns | Bridesmaids’ Attire: J.Crew | Flower Girl Attire: Lem Lem + J.Crew | Groom’s + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew | Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan | Hair + Makeup: Hiroko Takada

Every wedding that pops out from the crowd has that ability to make us “oooh” and “ahhhh”.  The ‘it’ factor of this Montauk affair lies within the clean lines and thoughtful placement of every last detail. It just goes to show that the classiest events do not have to have trillions of flowers to be stunners, rather those flowers are seamlessly woven into the affair. Best Day Ever has this unique ability to style an event just so and that wall of pink streamers certainly doesn’t hurt. Be sure to stop by the full gallery for even more.

From Amelia of Best Day Ever... When my wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty three years ago I never thought it would lead to me planning other people’s weddings but that’s exactly what happened. When Danielle contacted me we instantly hit it off and I knew I was the right person to plan her special day with Luke. Danielle and Luke wanted a wedding that was Montauk all the way – laidback but also elegant and lovely. Above all they wanted their wedding to feel happy and bright, just like them. Danielle is Indian and Italian and Luke is from New Zealand so guests came all over the world to celebrate the nuptials. The eclectic crowd was greeted at Sole East with tote bags brimming with East End goodies; North Fork potato chips, Tate’s cookies and of course their itinerary for the weekend. Chips NY designed the Montauk map featured on the tote bags. The same map was also copied for our Save The Dates and Chips designed the invites and couple’s thank you cards as well.

The bride and groom wanted the wedding to reflect their energy as a couple and not be tied to a particular culture but we gave a subtle nod to the Danielle and Luke’s respective heritages with our selection of appetizers; vegetarian samosas, tandori chicken and pampadam for her and New Zealand lamp chops and mini meat pies for him. Mark Champion from Best Day Ever photographed the wedding and the rehearsal dinner and he even loaned us his personal Polaroid camera for our photo guestbook. The mother of the bride found Benjamin Reynaert, a Brooklyn based artist specializing in handmade books and Benjamin made us an amazing hand bound guest book for our photos! We hired Hamptons local Karen Lenahan to do flowers and lantern lighting for the tent. She also did the fantastic ribbon tree that provided our vibrant backdrop for the ceremony. Guests got down to music by the band Bleeker Street and Danielle and her mom even dougied a little.

The stunning bride wore a cascading strapless gown by Anne Barge and carried an all white bouquet. The bevy of bridesmaids wore Vanilla hued Amsale dresses in varying styles and carried bouquets of pink and white peonies. The word fun doesn’t even begin to describe Danielle. She surprised all of us (planner included!) by secretly hiring Lady Gaga’s DJ to spin at the after party. Partygoers celebrated into the wee hours of the night.

Wedding Photography: Mark Champion of Best Day Ever / Wedding Venue: Sole East Resort in Montauk, New York / Wedding Planning + Design: Amelia Alvarez of Best Day Ever / Floral Design: Karen Lenahan Designs / Wedding Cake: Leanne’s Speciality Cakes / Invitations: Chips NY / Band: Bleecker Street at Hank Lane Music / Wedding Dress: Anne Barge / Bride’s Sash: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale / Groom’s Suit + Bowtie: Prada / Groomsmen’s Suits, Shirts + Ties: J.Crew

You know what always, ALWAYS equals fabulous?  A breathtaking Montauk soiree from Joshua Zuckerman Photography and jill gordon celebrate.  When these two oh-so-wonderful vendors team up, serious magic happens.  Fireworks, actually.  So, when we first laid our eyes on this uber-gorgeous seaside affair, well… we knew we were in for one serious day of pretty – including the world’s cutest duo and intimate nuptials that will literally make your heart sing.  Care to join us in the gallery for an entire day of swooning?  Click here for sooo much more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From jill gordon celebrate… Donna and Ed wanted to celebrate their wedding weekend in the most intimate way, with just 15 of their closest friends and family. We had four short weeks to plan the wedding, and though it was small, there were many segments of the day to plan. The word we kept coming back to was “energy.” Donna wanted to be sure that guests were kept moving throughout the wedding day and that the vibe was fun. Donna hunted down the perfect beach-front house for the wedding weekend. We decided that this would be the place for the intimate ceremony, which was performed by the couple’s personal friend. Guests were welcomed to the ceremony with champagne and fresh gruyere cheese straws. Simple planters of blue hydrangea flanked the altar, and guests were seated on white painted benches in the sand. The bride carried a sweet small bouquet of white peonies and blue tweedia. Following a champagne toast on the beach, the group was bused to East Hampton Point Marina, where they boarded the “Real Escape,” a 56-foot Hatteras motor yacht, for a cruise around Three Mile Harbor. We had sourced a fabric selection to enhance the surroundings of both the boat and the reception site and spruced up the boat’s decor with pillows and wooden boxes of colorful spring blooms. The next stop was The Living Room at c/o The Maidstone for the wedding dinner. Donna and Ed were drawn to the idea of dining in a bustling restaurant with lots of energy. We set one long table and worked off of the room’s colorful and eclectic decor. Silver bud vases and mercury glass vessels filled with riotously colorful flowers dressed the table along with silver candlesticks. Each guest’s calligraphed name was sewn to fabric-backed menu cards. Guests were treated to a leisurely meal, and Mali B provided a two-tier red velvet wedding cake adorned with ruffled blue and yellow sugar blooms. Cookies and gorgeous cheese platters were served as the final course. To wind down the evening, the party enjoyed a bonfire (and more snacks) back at the beach house.

From Joshua Zuckerman Photography… This was a casual multi-faceted beach affair. The mixture of close friends and British humor made this wedding all the more fun. Despite being very pregnant, the bride glided effortlessly through the day. Due the intimate nature of the wedding, I took the opportunity to do individual portraits of all the guests. The series of events and different locations throughout the day also made for a great variety of photos.

Wedding Photography: Joshua Zuckerman Photography / Ceremony: A Beach House in Montauk, New York / Reception: The Living Room at c/o The Maidstone / Wedding Planning: jill gordon celebrate / Floral Design: Sag Harbor Florist / Officiant: A Friend / Catering: Peter Ambrose Catering / Wedding Cake: Mali B Sweets / Wedding Stationery + Pillows: Mira Aster / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd / Ceremony Walkway: The New York Tent Company / Yacht: Charter Motor Yacht

In the mood for a little something special to pretty up your Monday morning?  Well, then, lovelies – look no further than this drop-dead gorgeous Montauk affair captured by Joshua Zuckerman Photography. A breathtaking love-fest planned to absolute perfection by jill gordon celebrate, this fun-filled affair is boasting beyond stunning ocean views, a to-die-for color palette and bundles of gorgeous florals by Pennington Flowers.  A seaside celebration with a big ol’ dose of lovely?  Yes, please.  See so much more right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Joshua Zuckerman Photography… After more than a decade of dating, Linda and James married and officially fused their two families together in what was one of the most romantic ceremonies I’ve witnessed. Surrounded by their children, family and friends, the photos capture all their joy and celebration. It was a pleasure to be part of their day as they launch into another exciting phase of their lives together.

From jill gordon celebrate… When Linda first called me, she had booked Gurneys as a location for their weekend celebration and was looking for help creating an environment and menu that reflected her vision.    The goal was to create a beach wedding and outdoor reception that felt festive and elegant, yet casual.   She loved an organic look but also wanted to incorporate punches of color, specifically orange, pinks, yellow and greens. 

Linda and James had been together for 11 years and wanted to create a sacred ceremony celebrating their relationship and including their grown children (including Linda’s niece and nephew).  The ceremony was an important moment to welcome their guests, 120 close family and friends.  Because the day was hot and guests were invited to a mid-day beach ceremony, guests were welcomed with chilled water bottles (via Hamptons Water Company) and flip flops, as well as bags for their street shoes.  When guests arrived at the ceremony benches, they found hand fans and parasols in beachy earth tones, greens and lavenders to match the tulle fabric ribbons strung from the driftwood altar structure.  Hand sewn ceremony programs featuring the couple’s insignia Sneha symbol were anchored by a river stone at each seat. As part of their ceremony, the couple and their children performed a sand ceremony, each helping fill a keepsake bottle with sand they had collected from the Montauk beach.  The bride looked stunning her blush-colored Vera Wang “Farrah” dress.

For cocktails, Gurneys passed hors d’oeuvre and created abundant food stations featuring raw bar items, sushi, antipasto, cheese, crudite and fruit as well as a colorful punch station to augment the bar.  We designed the decks with seating vignettes of outdoor furniture and airport tables utilizing big punches of bright orange and celery-green.  Lots of market umbrellas were placed around the decks to keep guests cool and comfortable.

As guests entered the dinner tent, they were seated at long tables covered in ivory cotton with a taupe runner.  The centerpieces were custom-made wood boxes running the entire length of the table filled with wheat grass and local summer zinnias in punchy bright colors.  Square rattan chargers and square white plates were found at each place setting along with either a lime faille or lavender linen napkin and menu card featuring each guest’s name.  Gurneys chef was ultra-accommodating and  created the exact custom menu we requested:  Chilled Montauk Lobsters with Lemon Tarragon Aioli; Sliced Grilled Sirloin Steak with Chimichurri Sauce;  Farro Salad with Fresh Corn. Tomato, Cucumber, Feta and Parsley; Grilled Asparagus dressed with Olive Oil and Lemon.  The bride supplied a recipe for a Pink Champagne wedding cake filled with Raspberry Mousse and Fresh Raspberries, which was delicious!  Age-old friends toasted the couple with beautiful, heartfelt memories and wishes for their future.  As the heat of the day dissolved into thunderous rain, guests danced and partied until the bitter end, most leaving with heaping boxes of gummy candies, M&M’s and assorted goodies from the candy display.

Wedding Photography: Joshua Zuckerman Photography / Wedding Planning: jill gordon celebrate / Rentals: Party Rental LTD / Furniture Rental: Taylor Creative / Ceremony Musicians: Anthology Strings / Music: DJ Erock / Floral Design: Pennington Flowers / Location: Gurney’s / Wedding Invitations: Mira Aster / Gift Bags: Sara’s Gracious Goodies / Water: Hamptons Water Company / Lanters, Fans & Parasols: Cultural Intrigue / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang